JAI Development · 19 hours ago
Sr. Beverage Scientist
Brooklyn, NY
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
$80K/yr - $95K/yr
5+ years expJAI Development is a food and beverage innovation lab specializing in product formulation and production operations management. They are seeking a Sr. Beverage Scientist to lead ingredient research and formulation for client-facing food and beverage product development, ensuring products meet sensory and business objectives.
Food Production
Hiring Manager
Matthew Wallace
Responsibilities
Lead and own all technical formulation activities within the lab, ensuring products meet defined sensory, accuracy, and timing requirements
Oversee the development and optimization of formulations to delivery consistency excellent taste and precise specifications
Plan, prioritize, and manage the lab's formulation schedule to align with project timelines and business objectives
Conduct ingredient research and develop sourcing-informed formulation plans
Formulate new food and beverage products based on scientific principles, nutritional targets, and client briefs
Execute bench-scale experiments and prototype development, with focus on functionality, stability, scalability, and sensory performance
Translate product requirements into actionable development plans and refine formulations based on testing and feedback
Lead or support technical research initiatives to identify new ingredients, technologies, and methodologies
Project-manage development work from kickoff through final wrap-up
Engage directly with clients to define formulation goals, present technical progress, and incorporate feedback
Plan and lead in-lab tastings, client visits, and technical discussions
Provide regular client updates and manage scheduling for meetings and lab sessions
Maintain and update project status and documentation in internal systems (e.g., Streak, Flavor Studio)
Partner with sourcing to monitor ingredient inventory and submit procurement requests
Collaborate with lab leadership to prioritize workload and align with project timelines
Support and mentor junior lab staff through hands-on training and guidance
Maintain complete and accurate project documentation, including formulations, processing notes, technical briefs, tasting materials, and final deliverables
Enter final formulations into our system for nutrition labeling and COGS
Maintain a clean, safe, and well-organized lab environment
Participate in routine cleaning and maintenance of lab equipment
Qualification
Required
Master or Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Product Development, or related field
5+ years of hands-on formulation experience in beverage product development
Strong Leadership skills and desire to for growth in future management focused roles
Demonstrated experience with beverage development
Strong understanding of food technology, ingredient interactions, and functional systems
Excellent client-facing communication skills with the ability to translate technical work clearly
Highly organized with strong analytical, documentation, and project management skills
Comfortable managing multiple concurrent projects in a deadline-driven environment
Preferred
Experience working with co-manufacturers or supporting pilot and scale-up runs (retort beverages a plus)
Experience with dairy proteins and functional product development
Familiarity with regulatory compliance, claim substantiation, and nutritional labeling
Benefits
Flexible PTO
Competitive compensation and growth opportunities
Relocation compensation may be available for the right candidate.
Company
JAI Development
JAI Development is a food and beverage innovation lab specializing in product formulation and production operations management across a broad spectrum of food, beverage, and cosmetic product categories.
2-10 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageCompany data provided by crunchbase